It Gets Better
by WritingForSamcedes
Summary: "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."-Oscar Wilde. A story about Mercedes and Sam learning to live. Rated M for mature themes later.


**A/N: Not sure if I'm going to finish this. I've had this on my doc manger for awhile. There are a lot of CEO Sam/Mercedes story out there so IDK right now. Sorry to all the folks reading my other stories. My daddy is in the hospital so I haven't had much motivation to write or update. I dislike the opening paragraph but I'm sick of rewriting it lol, my writing skills is not great but I'ma try to do better. Excuse any mistakes and as always I do not own Glee. Rated M for mature themes later (maybe).  
**

_After peering over the edge of my middle school I found my wondering if the distance from the roof to the ground was enough to kill me. No one would miss me right? I spent most of all life being bullied and pushed around. Even the nerdiest girls never paid me any attention. I didn't feel like there was much more to life than this. Next year I would be entering the hell which was often referred to as high school. Nothing was going to change the fact I wore thick glasses over my green eye….. that my sandy blond hair was uneven and shaggy…that my thrift shop clothes looked faded and beyond worn. And to make matters worse, I am overweight. My parents were so poor that we had to move out of our house and into a cheap one room motel. I wasn't mad at them because I knew things like this were uncontrollable. But I thought maybe, just maybe, I could alleviate some of my parent's financial burdens by leaving them for good. I found myself shaking thinking about my ten year old siblings, Stevie and Stacey, who both looked up to me. Being the eldest son meant I had spent many nights babysitting them while my parents worked doubt shifts. I took a breath to steady my nerves as I went to step over ledge. Was I falling? Yes, I was falling. Falling back on my ass and hitting the school's roof with a thud. My eyes flew open glancing down to a pair of tiny brown arms encircling my waist firmly. I could feel her body trembling against mine as she inhaled deeply gathering courage to speak. _

_"It gets better," she said quickly in one rushed shaky breath "I promise you it does, just please don't do this." I blinked rapidly to fight the familiar burning sensation of tears building up in my eyes. Her body warm was still flush against my back and I could tell she was fighting to control her trembling body. That was enough to change my mind. That was the day she saved my life. That was the day I truly began to live._

**10 years later**

Sam Evans suddenly snapped out of his flashback as he spun around in his tan leather office chair. Who would have thought this soon to be 25 year old would become one of New York City's hottest publishers only a year after college. He had managed to graduate top of his class early in high school then turn around and do the same in college. He left Tennessee, his parents, his siblings, and his life to come make it big in the city of dreams. The soft rattling noise of a knock on his door again was enough to catch his attention. He gazed up at his open office door finding Rachel Berry, his very pregnant assistant, smiling at him from the door.

"Ready for the first interview?" she said with a grin while she tossed her brunette locks over her Christmas-like sweater covered shoulders.

Sam nodded while remembering she was there to remind him of the interviews he is holding today to replace her. Rachel had decided it was a good time to settle down and become a stay at home mother. He couldn't blame her for leaving either, some days he wanted to leave to start a family too.

"Thanks Rach, send in the first one." He said and smiled up at her. She returned his smile with one of her own before she left the small office. While smoothing back his hair, Sam thought about his own future. Just the thought was enough to make a goofy grin spread across his face. He dreamt about maybe having a son or daughter, heck even a basket team worth of children filling his now empty home. His thoughts were interrupted by a scent only he could describe as heavenly. He fought the urge to close his eyes and savior it. The over whelming scent was very floral yet so light and wispy. He made a mental note to find out exactly what brand it was.

Sam's green eyes shot up to the door and then went slowly up the body that occupied the door. He took in her small feet, which were covered in Stiletto black ankle boots. He didn't know much about fashion but they looked expensive. The smooth, bare, and chocolate brown skin of her legs lead up to a tight black pencil knee length skirt. His eyes roamed her shapely full hips before slowly sliding up to her sleeveless cream colored blouse. The ruffles on the front were almost distracting enough to distract him from her very full and generous perky breasts, _well...almost_. Then his eyes hit her face._ "Lord,"_ he thought while examining her face. Her lips were full, plump and bright cherry red. And in the middle of her smooth blemish free face was a cute button nose. Her natural curls fell some around her face and down her shoulders. Half of it was pinned back with a glittery pin styled into a messy bun. His hands burned with the sudden urge to brush those curls out of her deep brown eyes. She gave him a small smile which he gladly returned with a 8-watt smile of his own.

"Forgive me, I'm being rude. Please have a seat" he said as he swept his arm out in the direction of a chair that sat facing his desk. He found himself watching the gentle womanly sway of her hips as she strode in from the door confidently. Once she reached his desk, she offered him her hand while introducing herself. "Mercedes Jones" she said. "Sam Evans" he said shaking her hand firmly as they both took their seats.

**000000**

Mercedes felt her heart thump wildly in her chest as she assessed Mr. Samuel Evans. She noticed his black slacks didn't hide the fact they covered long lean legs. And his short sleeved white button up shirt also didn't hide the toned muscles in his arms. They looked like they were dying to escape his sleeves. She stifled a laugh as she thought about exactly what size that shirt might be... _"Smedium"._ Mercedes eyes watched his full plush lips pull into a smile. She had never seen lips like that on a white man before and she definitely wasn't complaining about them. Because his Steven Tyler like lips complimented his large mouth, perfect nose, and jade green eyes perfectly. His blonde hair had some length to it but it was parted and neat. She sat nervously watching him read through her resume. After watching him nod his head a couple of times he finally puts her resume down and locks his eyes with hers.

"You are...over qualified. I'm not really sure why you applied for the job here." He said as he sat back in his squeaky leather chair waiting for her to speak. She smiled a bit before looking down and then finally returned his gaze.

All of this was true. Mercedes Jones had worked for a large corporate publishing company in Massachusetts, the largest one in Boston in fact. She hadn't planned on leaving them either until the company changed owners. The new owners started publishing books from people who offered the most amounts of cash. After reading about Sam's independent publishing company she found something there was about the young entrepreneur that had her wanting to jump ship. So she packed up her bags and made her way to Manhattan after finding out about an opening for a personal assistant several months later.

"I read about your company a while ago in Boston," she started "You know... that interview you gave to that tech magazine last year. I've ever read something so inspiring and honest about someone's dreams. You are so young yet you built this company from the ground up. I've never seen such drive and determination from someone my age. But I won't lie, I do love to write and I want to someday publish a book of my very own. I know it won't happen overnight but my parents taught me about hard work." Mercedes made sure she held his gaze before continuing. "I want to work hard for you and for a company like yours. I want to be a part of this, even if I'm just bringing you coffee everyday" she stated before she returned her gaze back to her lap.

Sam could have sworn he had seen her deep brown eyes mist over. It was confirmed to him she did indeed tear up because she smiled while rapidly blinking her long dark lashes to combat the impeding storm behind them. He found himself smiling at her. There was just something about her; he quite couldn't put his finger on. But he knew she would somehow become a vital member of his company.

"Rachel leaves in two and a half weeks. Just shadow her and I'm sure you'll be fine." He said after a silent beat.

Sam felt stomach flip as he watched her eyes snap to his and light up. Her wide doe like eyes suddenly looked happy; they even seem to sparkle a little. "You mentioned that you still live in Boston, have you found a place to stay here yet?" he asked her. Mercedes nervously bit her plump bottom lip before she answered him. "I'm going to go look around today. You wouldn't happen to know someone selling or renting a place?" she asked jokingly. He chuckled and then pushed himself away from his desk. "Hold that thought" he said as he headed around his wide mahogany desk. He trotted down the hall to Mercedes' soon to be new-old office. It wasn't an overly small office but there wasn't room for much in there. He never felt bad about sticking Rachel in there but something made him feel bad for Miss Mercedes Jones. He shook his head smiling as he knocked lightly on Rachel's open door.

After motioning for Rachel to stay seated, he leaned against the door's frame. "So is she a keeper? Please say yes because no one else showed up" Rachel said while rubbing her hands together in mock prayer. Sam chuckled. "Yes, she's the one." A wide smile played across Rachel's face as she did a little victory dance in her chair. "Question," Sam said as he interrupted her dance, "Did you and Finn sell your apartment yet?" Rachel shook her head no, which sent her pin straight locks flying back and forth. The apartment in question actually sat right across the hall from his apartment. Rachel and Finn bought the apartment right after college once they decided to get married. It had been listed for sale for at least 2 months now without any potential buyer hits.

Sam met Rachel in high school while living in Adams, Tennessee. Rachel, like him, wanted to escape the small town they were born and raised in. They both met Finn Hudson a tall lanky guy from Lima, Ohio their freshman year in college. He too had moved with a couple of his friends to be the city that never slept. Finn had once had dreams of being a football player but since New York University didn't offer it in their athletics department; Finn turned to baseball instead. But now 5 years later, Rachel and Finn were selling their apartment for a place that offered more space for their soon-to-be expanding family. "Well Miss Jones will take it!" Sam said while offering Rachel both of his wide hands. Rachel took his hands while smirking; she knew he had not even bothered to inform Miss Jones of this decision. They both laughed as she struggled to get up. Rachel's ever rounding belly was now preventing her from getting up as quickly as she was used to. Sam sighs, even though Rachel was really annoying, he genuinely was going to miss her. They found themselves laughing about the number of applicants that had shown up for interviews today as they made their way back to Sam's office.

**000000**

Sam ran his fingers through his sweaty blond hair while rounding the hall to his apartment. He usually was the only one up at this hour so the sounds of someone shuffling around made him slow down nervously. He spotted Miss Mercedes Jones pushing around several boxes outside of her apartment before she disappeared back into the apartment's open door. He quietly sauntered over to a small open box and peered over the edge. His breath caught in his throat as Mercedes emerged from the apartment catching him spying on her.

"Oh hey Mr. Evans" she said as she picked up the very same box Sam and just been glancing into. He took the box back from her while grinning down at her. "Sam. You can call me Sam."

_"I'm in trouble_" was one of the first things Mercedes thought as she laid eyes on him this mighty fine Saturday morning. She had only known him all but two days but the normally clean shaven and dressed to the nine's man looked disheveled. His blond hair looked wet and deliciously messy. His tailored suit was replaced with a sleeveless cut off powder blue hoodie and gray knee length basketball shorts. It was obvious that he probably had just returned from a routine morning workout. He pulled out one last iPod earplug before he turned off the device that he had strapped to his right bicep. Mercedes shook her head trying to refocus on the task ahead. She had only 3 days to get settled before she began her first official day at work at Sam's company.

"Wow!"

Mercedes tugged the box lower to take a look at what Sam had just "wowed" at. She smiled and then glanced up to his eyes. A lop-sided grin played across his cherry red full lips.

"Star Trek? Really?," Sam said while quirking up a single sandy blond brow. She nodded, before picking up another box before heading back into the empty apartment. Sam grinned and quickly scampered into the open door.

"You don't like Star Trek?" Mercedes asked while she set the box on her crowded kitchen counter. She turned to face him to gauge his reaction to her question.

"Like would be an understatement, I LOVE Star Trek."

_to be continued..._


End file.
